This blog functions like an exhaust valve to bring out my cluttered and sometimes confused thoughts. Please give your comments so that we can make this more useful, with wider perspectives. You may find my micro-blogs on Twitter @jay_ambadi.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

GST Bill and the Level of Misinformation

Based on
what transpired in the so-called exclusive interview of the Prime Minister of
India by the Editor of Times Now channel, Mr. Arnab Goswamy, the @PMOIndia
tweeted as follows:

With 2,928 Likes and 1,327 retweets the message about the
PM’s concern for the poor reached a large audience. Obviously, the readers of
this tweet would also blame ‘those in the Rajya sabha’ (read the opposition,
especially the Congress party) for their lack of concern for the poor and the
GST.

I was taken
aback by this hypocrisy from a man, who is holding the highest office in the
Government. I wanted to respond and highlight the hypocrisy. So, I decided to
confront both @PMOIndia and the @TimesNow, which had failed to ask any relevant
follow up questions on such an assertion by the interviewee. I devised two Twitter Polls, using direct
quotes from Mr. Narendra Modi. Anyone who kept a tag on the developments of GST
legislation would know that the quotes are attributable to Mr. Modi. My aim
was, therefore, not a poll, but merely highlighting the complete U-turn from
the Prime Minister.

170 people were kind enough to respond, to this poll. Out of
the170 responses 80% were correct in saying that it was Mr. Narendra Modi who
had said the words, “Aap ki GST sapna sakaar nahi ho sakta.”
Surprisingly, there were another 14% who thought it was Mr. Rahul Gandhi who
had said these words. Another 6% attributed the statement to Mr. Manmohan Singh
or Mr. Chidambaram who were the architects of GST legislation, in the first
place!

This poll received only 56 responses. 75% of those who
responded rightly said, it was Mr. Narendra Modi who had resorted to such a
negative stand on the GST, even though now he claims not passing of it is such
an injustice to the poor of this country! Once again, 21% of the responses
attributed the statement to Mr. Rahul Gandhi (remaining 4% saying it was Mr.
Chidambaram who said it).

The poll
results made it obvious that there is still a lot of misinformation and
misunderstanding on the respective roles played by the Congress and BJP, on the
GST issue. The 14% and 21% of the responses claiming it was Mr. Rahul Gandhi
who expressed such a negative attitude towards the GST legislation has not
cared to look at his and his party’s stand on the issue.

Mr. Rahul
Gandhi is on record that they are ready to cooperate with the government to get
the GST Bill passed. He said, ‘Hum yeh nahi chahte hai ki ghareeb log ka
upar tax na lage. Our, hum uske upar ek chhath si lagaana chahte hai,”
referring to the Congress party’s demand for mentioning a cap on the rates at which
tax can be imposed on goods and services. He continued, “Tho yeh faraq hai,
magar hum GST lanaa chahte hai, our pass karana chahte hai.”

Congress
party has also made its reservations on the proposed GST BIll clear in their Dissent
Note given to the Rajya
Sabha’s Select Committee on the GST Bill. They have cited eight specific
objections to the latest version of the GST draft Bill (You
may refer this post for more details on the objections). These have come
down to just three contentious issues, which a responsive government can
address in no time. The three remaining issues are a cap on the rate that can
be imposed in future, mechanism for dispute resolution between states or states
and the Centre, and additional 1% levy by manufacturing states. Modi Govt has
not chosen to be responsive to the demands. Instead, the Govt has decided to
continue the attitude of confrontation with the opposition and refuse to even
introduce the GST Bill in the Rajyasabha.

I am not
sure, when blaming the members of the Rajyasabha, Mr. Modi also meant Mr.
Subramanian Swamy, whom he had recently got inducted into the Rajyasabha! Mr.
Swamy had tweeted, “As an economist I say GST not worth the time spent to get
it passed in RS.” Just because he is an economist, would Mr. Swamy want to
continue ‘the injustice to the poor’ forever?

The
Government and Prime Minister can be a bit more sincere and truthful in
presenting the facts and views on important matters like Constitutional
amendments and tax reforms.

The Congress Party should also introspect
on their communication strategy and see why a significant portion of the
population (going by the results of these limited polls) continue to believe
that it is Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, who are the stumbling blocks to the introduction of
GST!

Note: All the quotes used in this
post can be seen and heard in a short video
on the subject. I express my thanks to Mr. Gaurav Pandhi, for sharing this
video.